Does anyone else here NOT have a high electric bill?

**Laura2** · 07-23-2008, 12:41 AM

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, one of the most expensive places to live in this country....Homes and rent are outrageously high here!

But the great thing about living here is that my electric bill is one thing that I don't worry about. The weather here is never extreme. It is never hot for more than a week. I don't know anyone who has an air conditioner in their home. And though in the winter, sometimes I swear that the house is "freezing", I think that many of you would laugh at our lowest temperatures around here.

My fiance is home during the day, but our house gets lots of natural light and he doesn't need to turn on the lights. We use all energy saving light bulbs, we have an energy star fridge, and we've started unplugging everything when not in use. Last month our electric bill was less than $9 and this month it was less than $10. I know that it will go up significantly when it starts to get darker earlier and when we will be running the space heaters.

I was just wondering if anyone else here is like me? And I just want to say to everyone else: I read your posts and I really feel for you; I don't want anyone to think that I am bragging or anything.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 07-23-2008, 02:09 AM

We have a shared family bi-level home with 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath and a basement to it. It's about 1200 sq ft. The summer months are the best because we don't have any AC and it doesn't get hot enough here to justify having it. Our heat is natural gas, so we never spend alot on our electric bill. This past month's utility bill saw us sitting at $60 dollars and that was down $13 from the month before. I'd say our worst month is when it is the coldest, which would be February. We pay almost 90 dollars a month at that point in time.

We've been working on ways to cut our electricity costs. This winter will be our biggest test because we'll be finding ways to stay warm and not have the heater on all the time.

**yankeegal** · 07-23-2008, 08:42 AM

My bill for June was $37.00. It has been humid here,(NE) but not too hot so I have not had to run the AC-which is a big budget buster. I use no lights during the day and unplug everything that I can.

**StaceyS** · 07-23-2008, 11:43 AM

Try as I might, I just can't get my bill below $10, but it is always below $15 - even in the winter with an electric heater in my bedroom.

**Sonnenwende** · 07-23-2008, 11:55 AM

I pay between 50-70 a month. I don't really think it is that bad. In Germany, we paid a lot more for less useage, so it colors my view a bit. :p

**frugalfriend** · 07-23-2008, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Laura2

Last month our electric bill was less than $9 and this month it was less than $10.

Wow! That is amazing!

We have a set amount of $13.95 a month "facilities charge" and $1.50 - $2.50 "franchise fee" (whatever those are!) before any energy charges are even added on, no matter how much electricity we use!

My latest bill is $56.18. No air conditioning.

**Laura2** · 07-24-2008, 12:05 AM

Also I should add that we don't currently have cable and we can't even get the free channels. We haven't hooked up our tv to an antenna yet. When we did have tv, I would turn it on almost immediately upon arriving home and then leave it on until I went to bed, for background noise. I think not having it anymore has definitely helped reduce our bill. Probably in a year or so we will get cable again when we can afford it. I'm sure that will make our bill go up again.

**Sonnenwende** · 07-25-2008, 10:59 AM

LOL, I spoke too soon. I got a letter yesterday notifying me of a price increase for my green energy. It was .002 per kwH and now it is .006. Um, hmm. That is quite an increase, but I guess I will suck it up. I think supporting the renewable energy market is important, so gotta put my money where my mouth is.

**LexTysMommy** · 07-25-2008, 03:57 PM

There is no way I could get that low. But congrats! Mine is $.107 per kwh

I sleep with little fan blowing on me, my ds sleeps with fan on him. And I have computer on most of day. TV goes on for few hours a day too. That along with fridge is probably at least $20!

I just pulled up my electric for last 2 years. Lowest $49.12 in May 08 (.106 per kwh)no ac and nice weather. Highest was $112 in august 06 (.099 per kwh) and that was keeping house at 78 with window ac. Yikes.

**Jessesbride** · 07-27-2008, 10:43 PM

WOW I'm jealous! Our last bill for June was $155.20.

While I'm working on it, for sure, I'm still no where close to those sweet amounts! Ya know what bites tho? When I lived in Moore, ok (about 6 yrs ago), I could leave ALL the lights on ALL the time, & the t.v &/or stereo and my bill was NEVER higher than about $45. AND that apt was the same size as my house is now! That cruddy little apt was GREAT when it came to electric (and it was ALL electric whereas this house is both elec. & gas).

Makes ya wonder....!

Kim

**Marie78** · 07-27-2008, 11:08 PM

We live in a 1,000 sq ft. apartment and even with A/C we usually only pay $45-$50 a month. It's the lowest we've been able to get it down to.

**quiltingmommy** · 07-28-2008, 10:42 AM

July was 51 with the central air and dehumidifiers running quite often...no dryer.
June was 32, no dryer or central air.
May was 58, dryer most of month, dehumidifiers running.

Sometimes in August it jumps to 80 depending on the weather (ac usage or dryer if it's raining).

My average is $50.

**Michelle** · 07-28-2008, 10:58 AM

Compared to the bills mentioned in this thread, yes, my bill is very high LOL

I think that it comes down to many factors though...for example, my gas (house gas) may be a lot lower than some people's. And location, house size etc.

My electric bill is pretty high right now due to the a/c, which I am trying to cut back on

**larabelle** · 07-28-2008, 11:31 AM

I keep the AC on #85 during the day and my bills are running between $35-$38 monthly. I think I do pretty good as we have daily temperatures over one hundred degrees. I do unvamp everything and use flurescents everywhere. I also do not use a clothes dryer.

**jas** · 07-28-2008, 02:43 PM

I can't believe what some of you pay (or don't pay ha ha)
granted I live in Florida and from about May or June you have to run the air. My bill for last month was 221.00 July and August will surely not be any less.

Looking back over my bills for the months we don't run the air (usually October thru May) my lowest bill was 104.00. That would be for cooking, frig, comp, t.v.'s lights ect. No pool pump or sprinkler system. The house is about 1650sq ft. high ceiling in only one room so not alot of dead space.

We have gas for the dryer and the hot water and the central heat. We don't use that much at all. HIghest that bill ever gets is about 75.00